October 2017 Health Insurance Choices for 2018
October 2017
Health Insurance Choices for 2018
For employees of the State of New York, Participating Employers, their enrolled dependents, COBRA enrollees with their NYSHIP benefits and Young Adult Option enrollees
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Contents
Information & Reminders............................i Make Your Health Plan Choices.............i Rates and Deadline for Changing Plans............................................i Pre-Tax Contribution Program................ 1 Your Share of the Premium......................2 Let Your Agency Know about Changes....................................2 If You Retire or Leave State Service in 2018.....................................2 If You Become Eligible for Medicare in 2018......................................2 Comparing Your NYSHIP Options.........3 Benefits.....................................................................3
Exclusions...............................................................3 Geographic Area Served...........................3 Terms to Know...............................................4-5 NYSHIP's Young Adult Option..................5 Medicare & NYSHIP.......................................6 Benefits Provided by All Plans..................7 The Empire Plan or a NYSHIP HMO...........................................8 What's New?.........................................................8 The Empire Plan................................................8 NYSHIP HMOs.....................................................9 Summary of Benefits and Coverage ..................................................10
Making a Choice..............................................11 Things to Remember.................................... 11 How to Use the Choices Benefits Charts............................ 11 If You Decide to Change Your Option..................................... 11 Plan Similarities and Differences....................................... 12-13 Questions & Answers.................................14 Opt-out Program............................................ 15 Plans by County.......................................16-17 The Empire Plan Benefit Chart......18-27 NYSHIP HMO Benefit Charts......28-43 NYSHIP Online.......................................44-45
Information & Reminders
Make Your Health Plan Choices
This booklet explains the options available to you under the New York State Health Insurance Program (NYSHIP) for your health insurance and other elections. You may choose coverage under The Empire Plan or one of the NYSHIP-approved health maintenance organizations (HMOs) in your area. Or, if you can be covered under other employer-sponsored group health benefits, you may be eligible to elect the Opt-out Program.*
Consider your options carefully. You may not change your option after the deadline, except in special circumstances (see your NYSHIP General Information Book and Empire Plan Reports or HMO Reports for details about changing options outside the Option Transfer Period). If you still have questions after you have read the information in this booklet, contact your Health Benefits Administrator (HBA) or The Empire Plan program administrators and HMOs directly.
Rates for 2018 and Deadline for Changing Plans
The Empire Plan and HMO rates for 2018 will be mailed to your home and posted on our website, NYSHIP Online, as soon as they are approved. To find this information online, go to cs. employee-benefits. Next, select your group and plan, if prompted, and then Health Benefits & Option Transfer. Choose Rates and Health Plan Choices.
Note: Participating Employers (PEs), such as the Thruway Authority and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, will notify their enrollees of 2018 rates.
The rate flyer announces the option-change deadline and dates that changes in health insurance payroll deductions will occur. You will have 30 days from the date your agency receives rate information to make a decision. Your HBA can help if you have questions. COBRA and Young Adult Option enrollees may contact the Employee Benefits Division at 518-457-5754 or 1-800-833-4344 (United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands).
* The Opt-out Program is available to eligible NYS employees who have other employer-sponsored group health insurance. Check with your HBA if you have any questions about your eligibility for the Opt-out Program. Employees of Participating Employers in NYSHIP should check with their HBA to determine if their employer offers a program similar to the Opt-out Program. See page 15 for more information about this program.
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Changing Your 2018 Pre-Tax Contribution Program (PTCP) Status (November 30, 2017 Deadline)
PTCP does not apply to COBRA and Young Adult Option enrollees or retirees. The following also may not apply to Participating Employers. PEs that participate in a pre-tax contribution program will provide specific pre-tax information to their employees.
Under PTCP, your share of the health insurance premium is deducted from your wages before taxes are withheld, which may lower your tax liability.
NO ACTION IS REQUIRED TO KEEP YOUR CURRENT PTCP STATUS.
If you wish to change your PTCP selection for 2018, submit a signed and completed Health Insurance Transaction Form (PS-404) to your HBA between November 1 and November 30, 2017.
Checking Your PTCP Status
Your paycheck shows whether or not you are enrolled in PTCP.
? If you are enrolled in PTCP, your paycheck stub shows "Regular Before-Tax Health" in the BeforeTax Deductions section. Your health insurance premium is deducted from your wages before taxes are withheld.
? If you are not enrolled in PTCP, or part of your deduction is being taken after tax (e.g., for a non-federally qualifying dependent), your paycheck stub shows "Regular After-Tax Health" in the After-Tax Deductions section. Your health insurance premium is deducted from your wages after taxes are withheld.
New Enrollees
When enrolling in NYSHIP coverage, new enrollees must elect whether or not to participate in PTCP. No election will be made automatically on the enrollee's behalf. Enrollment cannot be completed without a PTCP election.
PTCP Enrollment Limits Mid-Year Changes
Under Internal Revenue Service (IRS) rules, if you are enrolled in PTCP, you may not change your pre-tax payroll deduction for health benefits during the plan year (by changing your health benefit option, changing your coverage [Family or Individual] or by canceling
coverage) unless a PTCP-qualifying event occurs. Requests to change your pre-tax deduction during the tax year must be consistent (for all individuals covered under the contract) with qualifying life events and must be requested within 30 days of the event. You may not change your pre-tax payroll deduction for health benefits (other than during the PTCP Enrollment Period or Option Transfer Period), except when one of the following PTCP-qualifying events occurs:
? Change in marital status ? Change in number of dependents ? Change in your (or your dependent's) employment
status that affects eligibility for health benefits ? Your dependent satisfies or ceases to satisfy
eligibility requirements for health benefits ? Change in your (or your dependent's) place
of residence or worksite that affects eligibility for benefits ? Significant change in health benefits and/or premium under NYSHIP ? Significant change in health benefits and/or premium under your (or your dependent's) other employer's plan ? COBRA events ? Judgment, decree or order to provide health benefits to eligible dependents ? Medicare or Medicaid eligibility ? Leaves of absence ? HIPAA special enrollment rights
A coverage change due to a qualifying event must be requested within 30 days of the event (or within the waiting period if newly eligible); delays may be costly.
See your HBA to change your health insurance option, type of coverage or pre-tax status.
NO ACTION IS REQUIRED IF YOU DO NOT WISH TO MAKE CHANGES (unless you wish to continue enrollment in the Opt-out Program; see page 15). Changes are not automatic, and deadlines apply. You must report any change that may affect your coverage to your HBA. See pages 1-3 in this booklet and your NYSHIP General Information Book for complete information.
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Your Share of the Premium
The following does not apply to employees of Participating Employers (PEs). PEs will provide premium information. It also does not apply to COBRA enrollees, Young Adult Option enrollees or enrollees in Leave Without Pay status (who pay the full cost of coverage).
New York State helps pay for your health insurance coverage. After the State's contribution, you are responsible for paying the balance of your premium, usually through biweekly deductions from your paycheck.
Whether you enroll in The Empire Plan or in a NYSHIP HMO, the State's share and your share of the cost of coverage are based on the following (salary requirements vary; contact your HBA for more information):
Enrollee Pay Grade
Grade 9 and below* Grade 10 and above*
Individual Coverage
State Share Employee Share
88%
12%
84%
16%
Dependent Coverage
State Share Employee Share
73%
27%
69%
31%
* Or salary equivalent, if no Grade assigned. Contact your HBA to confirm.
If you enroll in a NYSHIP HMO, the State's dollar contribution for the hospital, medical/surgical and mental health and substance abuse components of your HMO premium will not exceed its dollar contribution for those components of The Empire Plan premium. For the prescription drug component of your HMO premium, the State pays the share noted in the table; the dollar amount is not limited by the cost of Empire Plan drug coverage.
As soon as they are approved, 2018 rates will be mailed to your home and posted on NYSHIP Online at cs.employee-benefits. Select your group and plan, if prompted, and then Health Benefits & Option Transfer. Choose Rates and Health Plan Choices.
Let Your Agency Know about Changes
You must notify your HBA if your home address or phone number changes. If you are an active employee of New York State and registered for MyNYSHIP, you may also make address and option changes online. Note: MyNYSHIP is not available for active employees of PEs.
Changes in your family status, such as gaining or losing a dependent, may mean you need to change your health insurance coverage from Individual to Family or from Family to Individual. If you submit a request within 30 days after a change in family status, you may make changes outside the Option Transfer Period without experiencing a waiting period. See your NYSHIPGeneral Information Book for details. Promptly inform your HBA about any change to ensure it is effective on the actual date of change in family status.
If You Retire or Leave State Service in 2018
If you continue your NYSHIP enrollment as a retiree or vestee, you may change your health insurance plan when your status changes. As a retiree or vestee, you may change health insurance options at any time once during a 12-month period. For more information on changing options as a retiree or vestee, ask your HBA for 2018 Choices for Retirees.
If You Become Eligible for Medicare in 2018
If you or a dependent is eligible for Medicare because of age or disability, see Medicare and NYSHIP on page 6 for important information. Please read this Medicare section if you or any dependent will be turning 65 in 2018 or if you are planning to retire in the coming year and will become Medicare primary.
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Comparing Your NYSHIP Options
Choosing the option that best meets your needs and the needs of your family requires careful consideration. As with most important purchases, there is more to consider than cost.
The first step toward making a good choice is understanding the similarities and differences between your NYSHIP options. There are two types of health insurance plans available to you under NYSHIP: The Empire Plan and NYSHIP HMOs. The Empire Plan is available to all employees. NYSHIP HMOs are available in various geographic areas of New York State. Depending on where you live or work, one or several NYSHIP HMOs will be available to you. The Empire Plan and NYSHIP HMOs are similar in many ways but also have important differences.
Additionally, if you have other employer-sponsored group health benefits available to you, you may be eligible for the Opt-out Program (see page 15 for details).
Benefits The Empire Plan and NYSHIP HMOs
? All NYSHIP plans provide a wide range of hospital, medical/surgical and mental health and substance abuse coverage.
? All plans provide prescription drug coverage for those who do not receive it through a union Employee Benefit Fund.
? All plans provide coverage for certain preventive care services as required by the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). For more information on preventive care services, visit healthcare/rights/preventive-care or NYSHIP Online.
Benefits differ among plans. Read this booklet and the Empire Plan Certificate (available from your HBA) and HMO contracts (available from each HMO) for details.
Exclusions
? All plans contain coverage exclusions for certain services and prescription drugs.
? Workers' compensation-related expenses and custodial care generally are excluded from coverage.
For details on a plan's exclusions, read the Empire Plan Certificate or the NYSHIP HMO contract or check with the plan directly.
Geographic Area Served The Empire Plan
Benefits for covered services, not just urgent and emergency care, are available worldwide. However, access to network benefits is not guaranteed in all states and regions.
Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs)
? Coverage is available in each HMO's specific service area.
? An HMO may arrange for coverage of care received outside its service area at its discretion in certain circumstances. See the out-of-area benefit description on each HMO page for more detailed information.
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Terms To Know
Coinsurance: The enrollee's share of the cost of covered services, which is a fixed percentage of covered medical expenses.
Copayment: The enrollee's share of the cost of covered services, which is a fixed dollar amount paid when a medical service is received, regardless of the total charge for the service.
Deductible: The dollar amount an enrollee is required to pay before health plan benefits begin to reimburse for services. This amount applies when you use non-network providers.
Fee-for-service: A method of billing for health care services. A provider charges a fee each time an enrollee receives a service.
Formulary: A list of preferred drugs used by a health plan. A plan with a closed formulary provides coverage only for drugs that appear on the list. An open or incented formulary encourages use of preferred drugs to non-preferred drugs based on a tiered copayment schedule. In a flexible formulary, brand-name prescription drugs may be assigned to different copayment levels based on value to the plan and clinical judgment. In some cases, drugs may be excluded from coverage under a flexible formulary if a therapeutic equivalent is covered or available as an over-the-counter drug.
Health Benefits Administrator (HBA): An individual responsible for providing benefits assistance to active State employees. HBAs work with the Employee Benefits Division in the Department of Civil Service to process transactions and answer questions regarding eligibility and enrollment. You are responsible for notifying your HBA of changes that affect your enrollment and/or your or your dependents' eligibility for benefits.
Health Maintenance Organization (HMO): A managed-care system organized to deliver health care services in a geographic area. An HMO provides a predetermined set of benefits through a network of selected physicians, laboratories and hospitals for a prepaid premium. Except for emergency services and other services approved by your HMO, you and your enrolled dependents may have coverage only for services received from your HMO's network. See NYSHIPHealth Maintenance Organizations on pages 9 and 10 for more information on HMOs.
Managed Care: A health care program designed to ensure you receive the highest quality medical care for the lowest cost in the most appropriate health care setting. Most managed-care plans require you to select a primary care physician employed by (or who contracts with) the managed health care system. He or she serves as your health care manager by coordinating virtually all health care services you receive. Your primary care physician provides your routine medical care and refers you to a specialist if necessary.
Medicare: A federal health insurance program that covers certain people age 65 or older, disabled persons under 65 and those who have end-stage renal disease (permanent kidney failure). Medicare is directed by the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and enrollment in Medicare is administered by the Social Security Administration.
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Medicare Advantage Plan: A Medicare option wherein the plan agrees with Medicare to accept a fixed monthly payment for each Medicare enrollee. In exchange, the plan provides or pays for all medical care needed by the enrollee. If you join a Medicare Advantage Plan, you replace your original (fee-for-service) Medicare coverage (Parts A and B) with benefits offered by the plan and all of your medical care (except for emergency or out-of-area, urgently needed care) must be provided, arranged or authorized by the Medicare Advantage Plan. All NYSHIP Medicare Advantage HMOs include Medicare Part D drug coverage. The benefits under these plans are set in accordance with federal guidelines for Medicare Advantage Plans.
Network: A group of doctors, hospitals and/or other health care providers who participate in a health plan and agree to follow the plan's procedures.
New York State Health Insurance Program (NYSHIP): NYSHIP covers more than 1.2 million public employees, retirees and dependents. It is one of the largest group health insurance programs in the country. The Program provides health care benefits through The Empire Plan and NYSHIPapproved HMOs.
Option: A health insurance plan offered through NYSHIP. Options include The Empire Plan and NYSHIP-approved HMOs within specific geographic areas. The Opt-out Program (NYSHIP code #700) is also considered a NYSHIP option.
Primary/Medicare primary: A health insurance plan is primary when it is responsible for paying health benefits claims before any other group health insurance plan. It is important to understand when Medicare will become primary to your NYSHIP coverage. Read plan documents for complete information.
NYSHIP's Young Adult Option
During the Option Transfer Period, eligible adult children of NYSHIP enrollees can enroll in the Young Adult Option and current Young Adult Option enrollees are able to switch plans. This option allows unmarried, young adult children up to age 30 to purchase their own NYSHIP coverage. The premium is the full cost of Individual coverage for the option selected.
Young Adult Option Website
For more information about the Young Adult Option, go to cs.yao and choose the young adult's parent's employer group. From your group-specific page, you can download enrollment forms, review plan materials and compare rates for The Empire Plan and all NYSHIP HMOs.
This site is your best resource for information on NYSHIP's Young Adult Option. If you have additional questions, please contact the Employee Benefits Division at 518-457-5754 or 1-800-833-4344.
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Medicare & NYSHIP
If you are an active employee, NYSHIP (The Empire Plan or a NYSHIP HMO) provides primary coverage for you and your dependents, regardless of age or disability. Exceptions: Medicare is primary for domestic partners age 65 or older or for an active employee or dependent of an active employee with end-stage renal disease (following a 30-month coordination period).
NYSHIP requires you and your dependents to be enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B when first eligible for Medicare coverage that pays primary to NYSHIP.
If you are planning to retire and you or your spouse is 65 or older, contact your Social Security office three months before active employment ends to enroll in Medicare Parts A and B. Medicare becomes primary to your NYSHIP coverage the first day of the month following a "runout" period of 28 days after the end of the payroll period in which you retire.*
If you or a dependent is eligible for Medicare coverage primary to NYSHIP and you don't enroll in Parts A and B, The Empire Plan or HMO will not provide benefits for services Medicare would have paid if you or your dependent had enrolled.**
If you are planning to retire or vest in 2018, learn how primary Medicare coverage will affect NYSHIP:
? If you are enrolled in original Medicare (Parts A and B) and The Empire Plan: Because Medicare does not provide coverage outside the United States, The Empire Plan pays primary for covered services received outside the United States.
? If you enroll in a NYSHIP HMO Medicare Advantage Plan: You replace your original Medicare coverage with benefits offered by the Medicare Advantage Plan. Benefits and networks under the HMO's Medicare Advantage Plan may differ from your coverage as an active employee. To qualify for benefits, you must follow plan rules.
? If you enroll in a NYSHIPHMOthat coordinates coverage with Medicare: You receive the same benefits from the HMO as an active employee and still qualify for original Medicare benefits if you receive services not covered through your HMO.
Medicare Part D is the prescription drug benefit for Medicare-primary persons. Medicare-primary Empire Plan enrollees and dependents are enrolled automatically in Empire Plan Medicare Rx, a Part D prescription drug program. NYSHIP Medicare Advantage HMOs also provide Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage. You can be enrolled in only one Medicare product at a time. Enrolling in a Medicare Part D plan or Medicare Advantage Plan separate from your NYSHIP coverage may drastically reduce your benefits overall, and in most cases you will be automatically disenrolled from your NYSHIP Plan. For example:
? If you are a Medicare-primary Empire Plan enrollee or dependent and get your prescription drug coverage through Empire Plan Medicare Rx and then you enroll in another Medicare Part D plan outside of NYSHIP, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will terminate your coverage in Empire Plan Medicare Rx. Because you must be enrolled in Empire Plan Medicare Rx to maintain Empire Plan coverage, in most cases, you and your covered dependents will lose all coverage under The Empire Plan.
? If you are enrolled in a NYSHIPMedicare Advantage HMO and then enroll in a Medicare Part D plan outside of NYSHIP, CMS will terminate your enrollment in the HMO.
If you have been approved for Extra Help by Medicare and you are enrolled in The Empire Plan or a NYSHIP Medicare Advantage HMO, you may be reimbursed for some or all of your cost for Medicare Part D coverage. For information about qualifying for Extra Help, contact Medicare. If you have been approved for Extra Help, contact the Employee Benefits Division or your HMO.
If you receive prescription drug coverage through a union Employee Benefit Fund, contact the fund for information about Medicare Part D.
For more information about NYSHIP and Medicare, see your NYSHIP General Information Book or ask your HBA for a copy of 2018 Choices for Retirees, Planning for Retirement or Medicare & NYSHIP.
* If you are an employee of a PE, you may have a different "runout" period. Verify with your HBA. ** If you are asked to pay a Part A premium, see your HBA for more information.
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